Fans Flock to New Jersey Town that Inspired Netflix Series 'The Watcher,' Overwhelming Locals
Google Maps 657 Boulevard
A house that was watched for decades, letters sent from anonymous senders, and a mystery that is still unsolved to this day. This is the true story that inspired the hit Netflix series, The Watcher, and is attracting fans to the real house that inspired the show.
Located at 657 Boulevard in suburban Westfield, N.J., the real The Watcher house, which is still a private residence, has been receiving an overwhelming amount of visitors since the series premiered on October 13. People from all over the area, and even out of the country, are itching for a glimpse of the chilling piece of real estate that was allegedly watched for decades by an individual who remains unidentified to this day.
The attention has been so intense that town police officers are stationed outside of the home to monitor trespassers, and yellow caution tape now lines the edge of the property. A barricade was also placed at the front of the driveway.
RELATED: 'You Know I Will Be Watching': All About the New Jersey Home that Inspired 'The Watcher'
Eric Liebowitz/Netflix
Locals are worried about the disturbances caused by visitors, especially for the actual residents of the home.
"We are all concerned for the family living there now and their neighbors," resident Trish Dulinkski told nj.com. "I cannot imagine how long it will be before people lose interest so the neighborhood can go back to normal, nor can I imagine how much mail the poor current owners will receive from crackpots all over the world."
In an effort to dissuade visitors from coming, Dulinkski said locals have been driving by the house and yelling "go home" at the out-of-towners.
RELATED: 'The Watcher': What's Real and What's Not in Netflix Series
Eric Liebowitz/Netflix
The Netflix series is based on the real-life couple, Derek and Maria Broaddus, who purchased the six-bedroom Dutch colonial home for $1.3 million in 2014. They had plans to renovate the property until they received an anonymous letter addressed to "The New Owner."
"My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s," the mystery sender wrote. "It is now my time. Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Why are you here? I will find out."
RELATED: Netflix's 'The Watcher': What's the Status of the Investigation?
Eric Liebowitz/Netflix
The sender also knew eerie details about the family, asking if there would be more "young blood" on the way for the couple, who already had three children. The letters were always signed simply "The Watcher."
Too spooked to move into the new home, the Broadduses rented it out for the next two and a half years. The renters also received a letter, which was filled with chilling threats.
After reporting the letters to the police, who said they couldn't help them, the Broadduses set up their own surveillance cameras and even hired a private investigator. They had no luck finding the culprit and ended up selling the home for just $400,000 after five years of ownership.
Although The Watcher — which stars Bobby Cannavale, Naomi Watts and Jennifer Coolidge — uses the same New Jersey address in the series, the home used to film the show is actually located in Rye, New York.
It also diverges significantly from the real events. For example, the Broadduses never actually moved into the home, unlike their TV counterparts. Some of the show's more horrific details are also completely fictional.
